Thirty Days of Dante
by Harbuddha
Summary: Dark fic. centered around Cordelia returning from a sentence in Hell. C/A. Based on a few speculations from Season Four!
1. No Dust

Title: 30 Days of Dante Rating: PG-13 Genre: Oh, so dark and angsty. Thought I'd give it a whirl. Timeline: This takes place in Season Four.a possibility that will never actually happen. I've heard some *SPOILERS* about Cordy "doing a thing that leads to a thing, and she ends up back with the gang. But there's a hitch in her giddy-up, she doesn't come back quite all together Cordy". So, there ya have it. The beginning takes place when Cordelia first becomes a higher being, and then the second part is three months later *sometime after episode three season four, because I hear that's when the group goes to Vegas* Reviews: I'm all for that. Disclaimer: I own nothing, absolutely nothing, in Angel-verse.  
  
*CHAPTER ONE* No Dust  
  
Part I Cordelia sat with her eyes closed in the middle of a large circle drawn with chalk. Candles and darkness surrounded her and she began to chant. The Latin words flowed as if she had said them to herself everyday in order to memorize them. The final line was repeated in English three times: "Bring me to Angel". With a quick flash of light, Cordelia's body fell to the wooden floor unconscious. Suddenly, Cordelia found herself in a dark, cramped space. She let out a long breath and repeated an incantation. "Morani illuminata." The small space was then enlightened slightly, "Thanks Willow" she said quietly as she thought back to the days of the Scoobies. She had picked up a few things. As she looked to see where she was, she noticed that she was atop of Angel. "Angel!" She let out loudly. "Angel! Angel, wake up! Oh, God!" Angel's eyes were closed and then Cordy tried to lift her head but hit it on a hard material that was enclosing her. "Oh, God! You're dead! No! You're dead!" She was so emotional, the tears were brimming when she had a revelation. "Wait. No dust." She stated blatantly. "No dust! You aren't dead. Angel! Angel can you hear me? *pause* Of course you can't. *pause* Because you can't see me either. I'm just an image, aren't I?" Asking no one in particular. "Angel, Angel I missed you so much. I can't-I can't tell you how much I miss you. I-I, Angel, I love you. And I know you can't hear me, but I guess there isn't anything I can do about that right now, eh?" She rested her head on his chest. Where was he? Why was he in a coffin, or-what was it? "What is this place? Where the hell are you?" She closed her eyes, but then she stirred as a sharp pain shot through her body. "Ah! Ok, ok. Angel, I don't have much time. Just please, wake up! Wake up!" She looked at his face and smiled with tears in her eyes. "Come back to me." She cried desperately. Another sharp pain overtook her body. "Ah! Ah, ok. Angel, I have to go. But-but, I love you." With that, Cordelia's image flickered and she disappeared. Angel suddenly awoke from a deep sleep and jolted in his small space. "Cordy?"  
  
~*~*~*~ "Cordelia." The monotone voice belonged to Skip. He was hovering above Cordy's fallen body. She stirred and looked up to him. "Cordelia." He annunciated again. "I heard you Skip. Skip? What are you doing-here." She looked around her. "You didn't think you could summon dark magics without paying a price, did you? I thought you knew that." "Dark magics? What are you talking about? Those weren't dark magics!" "Of course they were. When you're up here, they're dark." "When I'm up here? Where is 'here'? Skip-I needed to see him." "Do you think I care?" Skip boomed with force. "Skip?" "Cordelia Chase, you are sentenced to thirty days of hell." "Ha, righto, Skip my boy! What hell would that be? Wal-Mart with only 30% off coupons? Come on." "Cordelia!" He yelled yet again. Cordelia started to look worried. She stood up to look at him directly. "Skip? You're not serious, are you? I mean-you can't be serious!" She looked at him concerned. "Goodbye, Cordelia." With that Cordelia was gone, which left Skip standing over dripping candles. He looked down and started to weep. ~*~*~*~ Part II *THREE MONTHS LATER* "I've gotta thank you kiddies again for picking good ole Lorne here up, I mean-I liked Vegas, sure, what fun-loving demon wouldn't? But that's just to visit. I wouldn't want to live there." Lorne was explaining his situation as he, Fred, Gunn, and Angel walked through the Hyperion's courtyard. "Lorne, I'm glad you're back. But we need your help now. We have to find Cordy." Ever since Angel had returned from the ocean's depths, he was determined to find Cordelia. He had yet to find his son, but somehow he knew that Cordelia could help him through that challenge when it came to him. He told the green demon what he wanted, and the look in his eyes prompted Lorne to retort with a quick nod. "We'll try, Angelcakes." "We-we can't just try, we *have* to find her." The group of four walked into the hotel. The lights were off and Angel looked to Fred and Gunn. "I guess we didn't get enough business to pay for the electricity?" "We sent in some cash, dipped into some funds. They should be back on soon." Gunn assured Angel as they walked into the dark lobby. Angel nodded, and then looked to the group. "I'm, uh-I'm going to go upstairs and-" He stopped suddenly and looked around. He heard four hearts beating. Three of which were steady, but one was very faint. He moved in between his friends, looking around the room. "Hello? Who's there?" He asked the open air. "Angel, what are you-" "Shh." Angel cut Fred's question off abruptly, knowing that someone else was in their presence. "May as well show your face now, we will find you." Angel said, edging closer to the receptionist desk. And that's when he saw her. She was curled up by her old desk, hands clutched around her knees. Her hair was dark, cut short again as he remembered it from the ballet. She looked untamed, unkempt, and in pain. Her voice shot shivers up his spine. Nearly a faint whisper, almost audible to just Angel, she said it. She said his name. "Angel?" She didn't look up to him, she kept her head down, not taking notice of the other four people edging closer to what Angel had found. "Angel?" She said it again, tears evident in the back of her throat. She sounded as if she was in so much pain. "Cordy? Oh, Cordy, I'm here. I'm here." He reached for her, but she flinched, and he sensed her heartbeat speed up. "No, no!" She screamed, "It hurts too much. Angel, make it stop! Make it stop!" She pleaded with him, and in doing so looked up to him with tears brimming in her eyes, and dark circles under them. Angel stood speechless when he saw her face. He moved closer to her despite her protest. He went to touch her, and she simply shook her head back and forth, saying "No". "Cordy, it's ok. Cordy, I'm here. It's me." She looked up to him, and moved towards him burying herself in his chest. He grabbed her softly and held her as Fred, Gunn and Lorne watched from afar as their dear friend crumbled right in front of them. "Cordy." Angel said, tearfully, "Where've you been?" He asked quietly, not expecting a reply. She ripped away from him suddenly. And with a low, rough voice which will haunt Angel to this day, she answered his ponderous question: "Hell."  
  
*END CHAPTER ONE* 


	2. The Long Road

Title: 30 Days of Dante Rating: PG-13 Genre: Oh, so dark and angsty. Thought I'd give it a whirl. Reviews: I'm all for that. Disclaimer: I own nothing, absolutely nothing, in Angel-verse. Note: I wrote this in a rush, hope it makes sense! Let me know if it doesn't!  
  
*CHAPTER TWO* The Long Road  
  
Angel sat shocked. Was she being serious? Had she really been to hell, because even though she looked as if she'd been there, he couldn't think of any reason why she would have to go. A few seconds went by until he spoke again. "Cordy-I, are you-" He stopped, knowing that she wasn't in any condition to answer questions. "Let's get you upstairs." He finally said, trying to guide her. "I-I can't." She choked out. Angel looked at her and noticed how weak she was. He bent down and went to lift her, "I've got you." He cradled her in his arms and moved past the bystanders. "Gunn, Fred, get some things from Cordy's place. Anything you think she'll need. Lorne-find out what she's talking about." Cordelia buried her head in Angel's soft shoulder as he glided up the stairway. He left the group downstairs looking at each other with horror in their faces. ~*~*~*~  
  
"Ok, Cordy. You're all right. Do you-do you want to sleep? Or take a shower-or." He fumbled with things he could do for her. "I, I guess I'll have a shower." She spit out and she looked up to him, "But I can't do it by myself." She said innocently. His heart broke, knowing how independent Cordelia had once been. What happened to her? He swore he would find out after he helped her though this. "Ok, ok. Let's just, go in here. And." He recited instructions to himself as he started to undress Cordelia. He left her undergarments on and she moaned a little when he lifted her into the basin. He turned the water on, "Cold, make it really cold." She mumbled to him, so he turned the knob all the way to the right and let the frigid water pour onto her. Her eyes were half-shut, not really comprehending what was happening. Angel used a sponge to clean her and he was trying to be strong and not breakdown in front of Cordy, but just seeing her so helpless made it hard for him. Fred and Gunn had returned and put some clothes out on the bed, so when Angel carried a now dry Cordelia to his bedroom, he had something to dress her in. He placed her on the bed and she was nearly asleep as he pulled a chair to the side of her bed. He remembered being in this very same position only months before. A few hours went by, and Cordelia had passed out and was sleeping restlessly. Angel propped his head in his hand and watched her intently. Lorne came in quietly. "How she doing there?" He decided against using a pastry as a nickname for the aching Angel. "I-I don't know. What'd you find?" "Nothing. I've got nothing, Angel." He looked defeated. "Woah!" Lorne exclaimed. "What, what is it?" Angel asked hopeful. "Major magic mojo going on in here. Something's about to-" And with that there was a flash of light and Skip suddenly appeared. "Skip?" Angel questioned. "That's my name-" "What are you doing here?" "Don't wear it out." Skip looked at Angel, but then he saw Cordelia in the bed. "Is she-when did she get here?" "I don't know, we were away, found her when we got back." "She going to be okay?" "Skip. What do you know?" Angel was ready to pounce on him. "She was sentenced to Hell." "What?!" Both Angel and Lorne cried out. "She summoned dark magics and that's strictly forbidden. There was nothing I could do." "Skip, we don't know where she's been for three months. Don't just tell me she was in Hell." Skip looked to Angel and shut his eyes. "She was only in Hell for thirty days. The rest of the time she was in another dimension. She was on her way to tell you she loved you when I had to pick her up. She was a higher being. But now-" "Now what? What is she? Is she human? Is she demon? What?" Angel was furious with what the Powers had put his Cordelia through. "She's still part-demon, but they took most of it out of her. Her visions won't exactly be the Candy land she was expecting." "She's not going to-die, is she?" "No. No! I should have said that part first. Cordelia had no choice in the matter of leaving. She didn't want to leave you all behind." "Damn straight I didn't." Cordelia had emerged from the bed and she went unnoticed until she spoke. "You better get out of here, Skip. Because if I ever see you again, I will rip you apart piece by piece. I will make you suffer so much, it will be worse than any Hell you could possibly imagine." Angel looked at Cordelia horrified, what had gotten into her? She would never even think of saying something like that. "Cordelia-I need you to know-" "I don't need to know anything. You sent me to Hell, and unless you want a one-way ticket there, I suggest you leave. Right. Now." "It wasn't my decision, Cordelia. Nor was it the Powers. It wasn't up to us. You were forbidden to use any sort of magic where you were-you disobeyed that rule, and it was the Underworld that took you. Not us." "Do you think I *care* who sent me there, Skip? The fact of the matter is that I was there. I was in Hell! And I would never have had to go through something like that if it weren't for the Powers That Be and their tests! I should have been here, in LA, helping my friends. I should have gone to Angel and told him I loved him. But since my little trip, I've forgotten what love is. I forgot how to act. How to live. How to breath. I don't *care* who sent me there. And I don't care who brought me back. I can never be the same again." Tears streaked down her face as she expressed everything that she hadn't told her friends. "Now you have to leave Skip. And even though you're not allowed to take messages, make sure that the Powers know that I'm pissed. Make sure they know that I will never forgive them for what they let happen to me. But also let them know that I will keep fighting. I will keep helping the hopeless. Not even they can change my mind on that. No one can." "I'm sorry, Cordelia." With a flash of light and thunderous boom, Skip was gone, and Cordelia fell to her knees sobbing. Angel went quickly to hold her, Gunn and Fred rushed into the room hearing the monstrous noise. "What-what happened?" Fred asked Lorne quietly. "We just got a reminder that we have a long road ahead."  
  
*END CHAPTER TWO* 


End file.
